Operation Weserbung Pronunciation OPERATION VESUROOVONG Thesis Operation Weserbung

Operation Weserübung

Pronunciation OPERATION VES-UR-OO-VONG

Thesis Operation Weserübung allowed Germany to grab control of land resources in the North, leading to a strengthened German military and ultimately heightening the fear other countries had for Germany during WWII.

Background • Operation Weserübung was near the start of the war • Germany attacked Denmark and Norway • Germany wanted to defend trade in the region

Timeline Hitler approved sending troops into Norway and Denmark The Norwegian Armed Forces surrendered Ally and Norwegian forces stage a final assault upon Narvik April 5 th June 10 th May 27 th 1940 April 9 th June 5 th Germany sent troops into Norwegian waters and took over Denmark Britain and France began removing troops from Norway

Denmark Campaign • Land Battle that ended within 3 hours • Germany took control of Denmark in order to control Norway • Demark had a small and unprepared army Aalborg Denmark Kiel Germany

Swedish Ore and Narvik • Germany was dependent on Swedish Ore • The ore had to travel through the port of Narvik • Britain began mining in Norwegian water, concerning the Germans

Importance of the Swedish Ore “The flow of Swedish iron ore – the main reason Germany conquered Norway – continued without interruption to the end of the war” (Cordier)

Norway Campaign

Norway Campaign • Hitler pretended he was defending Norway from the allies • Hitler wanted to protect the Swedish Ore • Norway was neutral • Germany won the battle • Operation Weserübung weakened the German navy (Kriegsmarine)

Long Term Effects • Germany had control of three countries • Germany kept control of Denmark and Norway until 1945 • Hitler increased his reliance on the air force, or Luftwaffe • German military capabilities were displayed

Casualties and Losses • Not many losses in the Denmark Campaign • Norway Campaign losses were in the thousands • Germany lost about twice as many men as Britain

Works Cited Bird, Keith W. "Weserübung, Operation (April 1940). " World War II at Sea: An Encyclopedia, edited by Spencer C. Tucker, vol. 2, ABC-CLIO, 2012, pp. 797 -800. Gale Virtual Reference Library, http: //link. galegroup. com/apps/doc/CX 3311800452/GVRL? Cordier, Sherwood S. "Norway Campaign (April 10–June 10, 1940). " Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History, edited by David T. Zabecki, vol. 3, ABC-CLIO, 2014, pp. 942 -944. Gale Virtual Reference Library, https: //link. galegroup. com/apps/doc/CX 6174900684/GVRL? u=kcls_main&sid=GVRL&xid=742 cc 46 d. Accessed 20 Apr. 2019. "Deployment of Naval Forces for the Invasion of Norway, 8 April 1940. " Military History Maps, 2011. History Study Center, http: //gateway. proquest. com/openurl? url_ver=Z 39. 88 -2004&res_dat=xri: ho-us&rft_dat=xri: ho: sup_ref: osm 01170. Holland, James. The Rise of Germany, 1939 -1941. New York, NY, Atlantic Monthly Press, 2015. Janda, Lance. "Denmark Campaign (April 9, 1940). " Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History, edited by David T. Zabecki, vol. 1, ABC-CLIO, 2014, p. 323. Gale Virtual Reference Library, https: //link. galegroup. com/apps/doc/CX 6174900232/GVRL? u=kcls_main&sid=GVRL&xid=2 e 03997 b. Accessed 20 Apr. 2019. "Jointness and the Norwegian Campaign, 1940 - Dr. Phillip S. Meilinger, Colonel, USAF, Retired. " Air & Space Power Journal, sec. News, 21 Mar. 2017, p. 4. News. Bank, infoweb. newsbank. com/apps/news/document-view? p=AWNB&docref=news/164 B 427 DC 1 E 536 D 8. Accessed 22 Apr. 2019. Mac. Intyre, Douglas J. "The German Invasion of Norway: April 1940. " United States Naval Institute. Proceedings, vol. 136, no. 2, 2010, pp. 72. Pro. Quest, http: //ezproxy. kcls. org/docview/205989952? accountid=46